29th and 30th March
A very rough morning on
the 29th with a blazing force 8 easterly and driving rain and hail
showers blasting across the island; it was clear though that there was a great
selection of newly arrived birds on the island leading to one of the best days
birding so far this year. The highlight
was only the fourth RED KITE for North
Ronaldsay, seen over Loch Park mid-morning from where it flew up to the Kirk
where it spent a good spell perched on the roof and surrounding dykes as it sat
out the worst of the weather.
It was brighter with marginally fewer showers in the
afternoon allowing us to post some good totals from around the island including
a handful of new birds for the year with 2 Grey Wagtails, a White Wagtail, 2 Goldcrests and a Carrion Crow all making it onto the
list. Other totals included 3 Herons, 20
Woodcock, 4 Woodpigeons, 58 Skylarks, 18 Meadow Pipits, 14 Rock Pipits
including a bright littoralis bird, 12 Pied Wagtails, a Dunnock, 11 Robins, 257
Blackbirds, 154 Fieldfares, 21 Song Thrushes, 153 Redwings, 3 Mistle Thrushes,
5 Chaffinches, 3 Snow Buntings and 3 Reed Buntings. An adult Iceland Gull which flew past Kirbest
was the best of the rest.
The strong easterly breeze gradually eased down
through the 30th and with some good sunny spells and only a few
wintery showers it was a very pleasant day to be out and about; a smart male Common Redpoll, a Brambling at Holland
and a Long-eared Owl were new for the year while other new arrivals
to be found included 14 Woodcock, 2 Woodpigeons, 82 Skylarks, 37 Meadow Pipits,
3 Grey Wagtails, 14 Pied Wagtails, 3 Dunnocks, 25 Robins, 3 new Black Redstarts
(the first migrants of the spring), a male Stonechat, 259 Blackbirds, 120
Fieldfares, 20 Song Thrushes, 125 Redwings, 2 Mistle Thrushes, a Goldcrest, 2 Rook,
6 Chaffinches and 3 Snow Buntings.
Other birds included a single Pink-footed Goose with
the Greylags, the Whooper Swans still, 10 Pintail, 26 Tufted Ducks, the 4 Ruff
again, 30 Bar-tailed Godwits, a single Black-tailed Godwit and a notable influx
of Gulls with a 2nd winter Glaucous Gull in Nouster, 212
Black-headed Gulls (highest count of the year so far), 273 Common Gulls, 61
Great Black-backed Gulls and the surprise reappearance of the Kumlien’s Gull – last seen on the 20th.
Red Kite George Gay
Woodcock Simon Davies
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